The fresh details of her departure emerged as Knox spent her first night in her hometown of Seattle after her exoneration on murder charges and her release from Capanne prison, outside of Perugia, Italy.
Knox, 24, tearfully thanked those who supported her when she arrived in Seattle Tuesday night, saying that looking down at Seattle from her plane "wasn't real."
Seattle is a long way from where she was Monday leaving her prison cell, and life in prison did not even come up during a euphoric family reunion Tuesday night until late in the conversation, family lawyer Theodore Simon told "Good Morning America" today.
"There are particular rituals that happen when a person knows they are leaving for good," Simon said.
"They take their toothbrush and break it in half and throw it away," the lawyer said.
"And as you leave the jail, you slide with your right foot forward as a symbolic gesture to hope somebody who should rightfully be released will leave there soon," Simon said.
Before beginning her remarks, Knox smiled and said, "They're reminding me to speak in English, because I'm having problems with that."
An Italian appeals court on Monday overturned Knox's murder conviction in the 2007 death of her roommate, British student Meredith Kercher. Knox initially was sentenced to 26 years in prison.
Knox's mother and stepfather, Edda and Chris Mellas, also thanked those who have supported their family, as well as the Italian attorneys who fought on her behalf.
"Meredith was Amanda's friend," said Philadelphia attorney Theodore Simon, who spoke at the news conference. Knox wants the Kercher family to be remembered, Simon said as Knox nodded and appeared to fight tears.
Ahead of her arrival, Knox supporters in Seattle said they planned a rousing welcome.
"To Amanda herself, we say, 'Way to go, kid,' " Tom Wright, founder of the group Friends of Amanda Knox, said Monday night.
Knox was convicted in 2009 of murder, sexual assault, possession of a weapon, interfering with a crime and theft. The jury cleared Knox of those charges, freeing her. The court also cleared her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.
But the jury Monday upheld her conviction on the charge of defamation against Patrick Lumumba, whom Knox accused of killing Kercher.
Lumumba was arrested, but released after his alibi checked out. He later sued Knox, winning 40,000 euros ($54,000) in damages. Knox was sentenced Monday to three years on the defamation charge, but received credit for the years she spent behind bars, her attorney said.
A third person, drifter Rudy Guede, was convicted separately of involvement in the killing and is serving 16 years. Defense teams for Knox and Sollecito have suggested Guede could have been the sole killer.
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